Jon Tunheim
JD
Friday, Sept. 22
Hope Inspired Leadership
After three decades of research, evidence overwhelmingly confirms that hope is a significant predictor of wellbeing. Hope is attributed to health, higher productivity, lower turnover and increased job satisfacction. The positive psychology construct of Hope Theory offers insight into the ways hope contributes to personal and organizational effectiveness. Jon Tunheim will use the language and framework of Hope Theory to present a servant leadership paradigm centered on building a hopeful culture for organizational success.
Hilary Koenigs
DVM
Friday, Sept. 22
Sponsored by:
Washington State University Paraprofessional Program Update
WSU recently launched a veterinary scribe and preventative health certificate with the goal of providing training to entry level paraprofessionals. This presentation will provide an overview of the certificate contents, student and employer data, and future goals of the program.
Dori Borjesson
DVM, MPVM, PhD
Friday, Sept. 22
Sponsored by:
Workforce Development: A Collaborative Conversation and Listening Session with Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine
Dean Borjesson will provide a short overview of what the College is doing to address challenges around workforce development. Building on the previous session on our paraprofessional program, she will overview class size, admissions, and approach to recruitment of students from all backgrounds. After the overview, she and Hayden Milligan will host a Q&A and listening session to hear from attendees about their experiences and to discuss how the College, the association and veterinary professionals can work together to find solutions
Saajan Bhakta
phd
Friday, Sept. 22
Sponsored by:
Mental Health & Wellness
During this session, Dr. Bhakta will introduce veterinary professionals to practical and actionable techniques that they can use in their day-to-day practice to manage compassion fatigue, anxiety, and stress.
Communication
During this session, Dr. Bhakta will introduce veterinary professionals to practical and actionable techniques that they can use in their day-to-day practice to improve communication among their team. It will also offer an introduction to cross-cultural communication strategies as the veterinary industry continues to become more diverse.
Carolyn Shadle
PhD
Saturday, Sept. 23
Essential Communication Skills
As we observe the tension and pressure felt by veterinary staff, we sense the absence of basic communication skills. Being able to communication more effectively will not only give team members more confidence in their interactions with colleagues and clients, it will enable them to experience a reduction in tension.
John Meyer
PhD
Saturday, Sept. 23
Essential Communication Skills
As we observe the tension and pressure felt by veterinary staff, we sense the absence of basic communication skills. Being able to communication more effectively will not only give team members more confidence in their interactions with colleagues and clients, it will enable them to experience a reduction in tension.
Elizabeth Collern
DVM, MS, DABVP Feline
Saturday, Sept. 23
Sponsored by:
Feline Stress and Illness: Expanding the Definition of the Exam
Both major and minor stressful events can have direct adverse effects on a variety of inflammatory and immunological mechanisms that can have detrimental consequences to health. Although there is no doubt that stress can predispose cats to medical problems, it is inevitable that illness and discomfort will initiate or intensify stress. In addition, any condition resulting in a cat experiencing pain will also initiate or increase stress. Managing stress in the home and veterinary setting should be considered a vital part of treatment planning.
Cats Don’t limp: Chronic Pain, Recognition and Management
Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) is an important and under-recognized cause of chronic pain. Decreased mobility in the senior cat often goes unnoticed by cat owners and veterinary staff. Other forms of chronic pain may occur in addition to DJD as well as concurrent diseases. Maintaining the bond of the owner and the cat while attempting to treat multiple conditions is critical to quality of life as is the management of chronic pain. Priority setting and creative planning with the owner as partner are essential elements to treatment planning. New solutions to chronic pain will be discussed in detail along with demonstration videos.
Get Them Coming Back: Changing the Experience of Cats and Their Caregivers
The Cat Friendly Practice® (CFP), created by knowledgeable feline practitioners, equips you with the support and resources needed to deliver elevated and quality care that incorporates the cat’s perspective throughout the entire experience. The program consists of 10 topic areas that help guide practices in setting the standard of providing optimum feline care through an online self-assessment. Many of the techniques and criteria contained in the practice checklist are readily achievable because they focus on approach and organization. The program provides creative solutions to help decrease stress during feline-care visits. The most important step is to recognize that there is a need to make these adaptations in order to provide a better experience for cats, their caregivers, and your team.
Michael Ling
Saturday, Sept. 23
Title Coming Soon
Session Description Coming Soon!
Shauna Feldsher
CVT, CCFP, CFVP, VTS (Anesthesia/Analgesia)
Sunday, Sept. 24
Support Staff Satisfaction
This morning with Shauna, we will dive into the issues that contribute to support staff burn out, decreased morale, and turn over straight from the affected population. As practice managers, supervisors, or leads, you have the power to take initiative toward change and an increase in your staff’s satisfaction and ability to thrive. Not only will this improve the environment, but it can reduce costs for the facility.
Stacee Santi
DVM
Sunday, Sept. 23
Sponsored by:
The 7 Love Languages of Client Loyalty
In this session, the attendee will learn the 7 levers that strengthen the bond with their clients. Understanding the client’s “love language” is an essential part of building (and keeping) a profitable, sustainable, efficient practice centered around the veterinary-client relationship. Identifying, retaining and engaging customers, especially high and mid-value, is critical to maximizing the veterinary team’s daily impact on the lives of animals.